Most people are so out of touch with life in this world that they think it’s crazy to speak of life on the Other Side. But it isn’t. There’s life in this world and the next. According to ancient tradition, while Heaven is more pure, life in this world is the central focus. People come here to be fixed and made whole.
Word has it that the righteous run both worlds. Essentially, they run the whole show. The Heavenly Court is governed by righteous people who have died recently. They replace other righteous people, who’ve been in Heaven too long to remember the reality of struggle in this world.
One such man, Reverend Michel passed away, he was called to judge on the Heavenly Court. As soon as he took his place, he came down harshly on all those he had to review.
“How could you do such wrong?” he yelled at them.
Finally, one of the righteous on earth realized what was happening and began to complain: “You can’t appoint, as a judge, a man who has never sinned! What does the Reverend know of the hardships of Henry the Water Carrier? He comes from a family that for thirteen generations made no mistakes. ”
The worldly righteous protested his severity so much that it was finally decreed that the Reverend would be retired and the righteous man who had first complained should take his place. The decree went out just before the Sabbath. The man on earth barely had enough time to say good-bye to his wife.
Judging is done in heaven, but fixing takes place in this world, sometimes before the Judgment, sometimes after. We are speaking here of fixing the souls of those who have left this world. Judging will determine whether you go to Heaven or Hell, whether you are permitted to come back to life.
But if the merchandise is damaged, it’s not a question of paradise or reincarnation. The vessels are broken. They need to be mended and made whole again. This kind of repair doesn’t take place in Heaven. Nor can we do it ourselves.
Souls who needs fixing have to come back into the world and look for a righteous person to help them. Naturally, if they were close to one while alive they will have no problem, because their soul is still attached to that righteous person. But what happens to a person who was never attached to a righteous person during their lifetime?
adapted from story by Shlomo Carlebach and Susan Yael Mesinai